


You Bought that Couch for a Reason, Didn't You?

by AngeNoir



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Team as Family, Tony Has Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-14
Updated: 2014-07-14
Packaged: 2018-02-08 19:36:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1953573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngeNoir/pseuds/AngeNoir
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How does Tony ask for physical affection?</p>
<p>Badly.</p>
<p>As in, not at all.</p>
<p>(Thankfully, his teammates are better at noticing what he wants than he is at verbalizing them.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Bought that Couch for a Reason, Didn't You?

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a prompt on the avengerkink livejournal, found [here](http://avengerkink.livejournal.com/18271.html?thread=42363999#t42363999).
> 
> Yes I'm trying to find all the scattered bits of my writing and collect them onto this account. More random tiny ficlets may or may not pop up as I spiral downwards in my procrastination to my personal judgement day.

It was something that had happened almost accidentally. Natasha and Thor had actually initiated it - Thor apparently gave awesome back-rubs - and Bruce had asked if Thor could also rub his shoulders.  
  
The next time after a fight, Clint had edged in and asked if Thor could also 'do him,' which made Tony snicker but he saw how uncomfortable Clint looked asking - he wasn't going to make it that difficult on him.  
  
But when Steve looked so distraught after the next fight that the couch was already too full and he couldn't go over and lean heavy against Thor's side, Tony gave in and bought an extended couch, one that let Natasha drape herself over Thor's lap, head against Steve's thighs, let Bruce lean against Thor on one side and Steve on the other, let Clint flop down and play with Natasha's hair while Steve rubbed his upper back. And Tony had to admit, the few (very few) times he'd sat on the outside, watching a mindless comedy or action movie to wind down from a fight, it felt... nice.  
  
But he'd never initiate it. Everyone else - Thor would sit down and beckon, or Steve would lightly tug Clint and Bruce to the couch, or Natasha would drag a pillow over and cock her eyebrow at Thor or Steve (or both) in invitation, or Bruce would sit down and tilt his head back and breathe deep, or Clint would bounce onto the couch and proceed to make it difficult for everyone to get on - everyone else could initiate it. Tony was the only one not a regular at the cuddle session, and when he did appear he'd normally keep his space.  
  
The thing is, it looked amazing. His chest ached from the metal inside, he'd always had a weakness for someone carding fingers through his hair, and he was a very tactile, very invasive personality. And he tried, tried to remember that Howard wasn't here, that it was fine for an eccentric billionaire to want to be physically close to someone, that his teammates wouldn't think him weaker because he wanted it so desperately. It took every ounce of willpower he possessed to keep from crawling into the middle and nuzzling himself between Thor and Steve, feeling those tall, strong bodies pressed around him like a wall that could keep out everything. Or curl up between Bruce and Natasha, their hands stroking and smoothing over his back. Or even slide up behind Clint, feel the trust the archer had in Tony in every square inch of skin as Clint relaxed back into him.  
  
Today, though... it wasn't even post-mission. No one was moving to the couch. But Pepper, Pepper was in Malibu, tying a neat bow on the smooth transfer of power from Malibu to New York, and Rhodey was training new recruits. Happy was with Pepper. And he'd tried, he'd tried so hard, to substitute the need for comfort through DUM-E and his bots and he just... couldn't.  
  
Instead he was here, standing in the living room, staring at the empty couch, fist pressed against the stabbing pain in his chest. He had constant pain from the filled-in reactor, of course, he never really stopped hurting, but today... today it was an effort to draw in each and every breath, his fingers felt numb, his extremities cold and weak.  
  
"Shall I gather the team, sir?"  
  
JARVIS's voice had Tony shaking his head violently. "No, it's... it's okay. Maybe I just should head up to bed..." Curl up in the empty king-sized bed, hug Pepper's pillow tight to his chest, pile blankets on to try and ward off the chill...  
  
"Tony?"  
  
Tony looked up to see Natasha standing in the doorway, head cocked. Clearing his throat, he forced himself to drop his fist and paste on a smile. "Hey, Natasha, what's up? I thought you were sparring with Steve and Clint?"  
  
"We're done now; I was coming up for a light snack," she said, and then eyed the couch he had been staring at earlier. "Do you want something?"

He swallowed. Starks didn't ask, they took. Starks didn't show weakness, Iron Man never bent under pressure, Tony Stark didn't need anything from anyone...  
  
... But Tony wanted the closeness, desperately.  
  
He opened his mouth, but he couldn't find the words, couldn't find a way to tell one of his teammates that he was weak enough to need it - and not just any teammate, but the teammate who had found Tony wanting from the outset.  
  
But before he could make his hasty retreat from the room, Natasha strode forward and gently curled fingers against the inside of Tony's elbow. "JARVIS, do we have Wall-E available?"  
  
"Yes, Agent Romanoff."  
  
"Please put that on," she said, even as she tugged Tony to the couch. "I have a certain fondness for Eve."  
  
"You would," Tony said, voice hoarse, and when they actually hit the couch he paused, even as she let go of him and crawled into the middle. "I don't need this," he said.  
  
Natasha nodded, eyes warm and a soft smile curling the edges of her mouth. "I know," she said, and Tony heard the sincerity. "But if you want it, and you could have it, you should take it."  
  
"Oh, man, I love Wall-E," Steve said from the doorway, and then he was rushing in, saying to JARVIS, "Hey, JARVIS, could you let everyone know Wall-E's on? If they want to come, of course."  
  
"Certainly, Captain Rogers."  
  
Within minutes, Tony was sandwiched in between Steve and Natasha, his head in her lap and his back over Steve's lap, Steve gently rubbing at Tony's chest while Natasha played with his hair. Thor came in and sat on the other side of Natasha, and Bruce came in to sit on the other side of Steve, lifting Tony's legs and letting them settle over himself. Clint threw himself onto Thor's lap, twisting and contorting until his upper chest was squished between Tony's head and Natasha's abdomen, a pillow propped under his head so he could see the movie over Tony's ribs and chest.  
  
Tony fell asleep, warm and the persistent ache soothed, and some part of his heart healed.


End file.
